


Timing

by artificiallifecreator, pickleplum



Series: Tales from the Shatterdomes [8]
Category: Pacific Rim (2013)
Genre: Gen, Jaeger Pilots, Shatterdome Shenanigans
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-09
Updated: 2015-01-09
Packaged: 2018-03-06 14:10:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 740
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3137252
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/artificiallifecreator/pseuds/artificiallifecreator, https://archiveofourown.org/users/pickleplum/pseuds/pickleplum
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Team <i>Vulcan Specter</i> gains a new member through creative 'negotiations.'</p>
            </blockquote>





	Timing

**Author's Note:**

> 28 August 2016  
> Australian Wing, Hong Kong Shatterdome  
> Hong Kong, HK, China

\- Casablanca, 14 May 2015: art in surprising places — K&I Mogodi -

When Jamie rolls into the marshal's office in the Shatterdome's Australian wing, Chantell's on the phone.

"—lish lit ...." She glances up—"And when is that?" —and smiles.

Jamie smiles back, makes himself comfy.

"Thirteen-hundred to fourteen-thirty, gotcha. In Block G? Where've you looked?" She jots note. "That's ... all his likely bolt-holes. Oh, fantastic. I'll get right on that, thank you very much for the heads up." Disconnects, runs a hand through her hair.

"Marshal—"

"Zip."

Seconds tick by.

"You were saying?" asks Chantell.

"Here to see the marshal if he's got a minute."

"Sure thing." She picks herself up and leans in the far door. "Jamie wants a minute and Chuck-the-Hansen's conspicuously absent."

Marshal Nguyen answers.

"Awesome." Pushes off the wall. "All yours," she says to Jamie, heading for the hall—

"Thanks," replies Jamie, getting to his feet.

—but Chantell's broken into a jog and she's gone.

"Good afternoon, Mister Walker," greets Nguyen, "how can I help you?"

"Thinking more how I can help **you** ," replies Jamie, settling himself in a chair and leaning back. "Hear you're in desperate need've a dedicated handler for _Vulcan Specter_."

"I see nothing travels faster than bad news still."

"'s true, then?"

Nguyen sighs. "Officer Robinson did resign this morning."

"Heard it was more like 'ran screaming to the airport.'"

"Do you have a point?"

"Of course." Jamie waves cavalierly. "I may be interested in the job."

Nguyen lowers his eyebrows. "Why?"

"I see an opportunity."

"An opportunity."

"Yes, sir." Jamie puts his hands behind his head. "See, I think know just how to handle the Rangers Jones."

"Really."

Jamie raises an eyebrow. "I'm wrangling the press corps for a living just now. And I used to handle criminals and **lawyers** —"

"I think you're underestimating how, shall we say, 'difficult' the Rangers are proving to be."

"Oh, I know just what I'd be walking into: couple of too-smart-for-their-own-good knuckleheads high on testosterone set on making sure everyone knows they're the biggest and baddest." Smirks. "That about cover it?"

Nguyen considers a reply.

Chantell bursts into the office. "Chuck's nowhere in the wing—" Gulps down air. "—usual suspects are accounted for and—" She wheezes. "—no one has any—"

"Have Lo call out the MPs for a floor-to-ceiling search. Teenagers don't just vanish—"

Chantell flees.

"—even in this madhouse." Nguyen returns his attention to Jamie. "You forgot about their attitude toward—"

"I suggest they look in the Lins' quarters."

"The Lins'? Why?"

Jamie makes an airy gesture. "Li'l bird tells me Littlest Hansen's probably locked in the empty room with a few of the cats Feng definitely **isn't** hiding in there." Studies the ceiling.

Nguyen regards Jamie levelly.

Jamie regards back, tilts his head toward the intercom.

Nguyen presses a button. "Officer, please ask the MPs to start their search with the Rangers Lin's quarters." Turns back to Jamie. "So you want—"

" **May** be interested."

"—in being _Vulcan_ 's Handler." Nguyen steeples his fingers. "And who would hold the position while you were qualifying at the Jaeger Academy?"

"I think you'll make an exception this time."

"Oh you do."

"And I think you'll give me a raise. If I accept."

"Do you now."

The intercom chimes.

Nguyen presses the button.

""They found him! Someones locked him in the Lins'. With a buncha cats.""

"I'm **shocked** ," drawls Jamie.

Nguyen sighs. "Have Mr Hansen returned to his father. And have the Rangers Jones escorted to my office."

""Yes, Dad—sir—Marshal!""

"Shocked," Nguyen repeats dryly.

"Yea. Shocked. Shocked that they found him locked in there."

"Would you be also shocked to find you won't be getting that raise?"

"Well, Marshal, ye never know when the tyke could go missing again." Jamie shrugs. "It's—"

"A madhouse; yes, I said."

"'bout that raise, Marshal?"

"How much did you have in mind?"

"I'm thinking ten thousand would about cover the hazards of accepting."

"Ten—! Is this an offer or an extortion, Mr Walker?"

"A bit of both, really, " grins Jamie. "It's all about timing."

Nguyen narrows his eyes. "You've been planning this."

"You'd love t' know jest how much of it I did and how much is only coincidence, ay?" Jamie straightens, stands. "I'll get with your PA on the paperwork straight away."

"You go do that."

Jamie bows. "Pleasure talking with you, Marshal."

Nguyen bobs his head. "Thank you, Mr Walker."

Jamie closes the door behind himself and snickers.

**Author's Note:**

> The Hong Kong Shatterdome was the **only** Shatterdome in operation for about 8 months and was opened almost 18 months before Sydney's 'Dome. Since there were Australian Jaegers launched and fighting during those months, they must've deployed from Hong Kong. Hence, the Australian wing. (There are also wings for all the other eventually-opened 'Domes.)
> 
> In our universe, Handlers are personal assistants for teams of Rangers. The nutshell version of their job is to take care of anything that might distract the Ranger from piloting a giant robot. Some are very hands-on and get their hands dirty with Drivesuit teams and J-Tech. Some are like Jamie, here, and focus on organization and herding cats.
> 
> Remember, Chuck-the-Hansen is only two weeks past his 13th birthday here and is still almost a year away from entering the Jaeger Academy. That said, I figure the Jones brothers have some incriminating scratches or bite marks—and not from the cats, either.
> 
> Photo by [Ronald Woan](https://www.flickr.com/photos/rwoan/) [[CC BY-NC 2.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/) ] via [Flickr](https://www.flickr.com/photos/rwoan/17322897062/)
> 
> [Revised version posted 25 February 2016]


End file.
